Release device for photographic shutters



Jan; l2, 1943. J. MIHALYI 2,308,017

RELEASE DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTERS Filed Sept. 13, 1941 'llllnxflvnmfl,

l Jose/of; M//m/ INVENTO BY M211. fm@ y Patented Jan. l2, 1943 RELEASE DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTERS Joseph Mihalyi, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation oi' New Jersey Application September 13, 1941, Serial No. 410,750

(Cl. (S7-Z9) 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to a shutter release device for releasing the shutter of a photographic camera, and particularly to a shutter release device which is separate from the camera and capable of detachable connection thereto in operative relation with the shutter release of the camera. r

Shutter releases of the type mentioned have been available but have possessed inherent disadvantages which rendered them unsatisfactory. A device of this kind necessarily includes a plunger mechanism of some sort which is normally retracted and is manually depressed by a finger-operated member against the action of the retracting springto engage and -actuate the shutter re- .v

the lamp circuit and then stop without continuing the motion totrip the shutter. The operator may not necessarily stop the release device after closing the lamp circuit but may momentarily hesitate at this point and thus spoil synchronization which ordinarily depends upon the proper speed oi.' movement of the shutter release device throughout its full stroke of movement.

Frictional restraining means have been applied to the -plunger mechanism of shutter release devices of this type with the idea of compelling the operator to build up suilicient pressure on the release member thereof to initia1lyfputit into motion to insure the plunger moving through its complete stroke once starting to move despite the tendency of the operator to inch it along.

While this frictional restraining means served its ultimate purpose it was found that the manual pressure required on the release member to overcome said restraining means, when the latter was released, was transmitted to the shutter mechanism with an impact which not only caused undesirable camera movement but in some instances is moved by a spring and is not operated by direct man-ual pressure.

A further object is to provide a device of this type in which the plunger mechanism is releasably locked against movement until a given tension is built up in the driving spring therefor so that the mechanism moves with a given force each time it is actuated.

Another object is to provide a device of the type set forth in which the latch member for the plunger assembly serves as a connecting member between the relatively movable parts of said mechanism when not serving in its latching capacity.

And yet another object is to provide a device of the type set forth with a novel releasable locking means which is a part of, and is actuated by part of, the plunger mechanism.

And still another object is to provide such a device which can be readily connected into a flash lamp circuit and insure proper synchronization of a flash lamp with the tripping of a shutter.

And another object is to provide a device of the type set forth which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, as well as neat in appearance, and capable of use with cameras of any The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when readin connection with the accompanying drawingr in which:

Fig. l is an enlarged sectional view of a shutter release device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention mounted on a camera having a focal plane shutter, and showing the plunger mechanism thereof locked in a full retracted position,

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, and showing themanually actuated member of the device moved to the point where it just engages the top of the plunger after placing the driving spring under a given compression,

Fig. 3 is a partial section corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, and showing the manually actuated member of the device depressed to a point where it releases the' locking means for the plunger mechanism and places the driving spring under full compression,

Fig.y 4 is a fragmentary perspective View, partly Ain section, showing the cooperation of the device shownlin Figs. 1-3 with the shutter release mechanism of a camera and the manner of .connecting it into a iiash lamp circuit,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the shutter release device mounted on a between-the-lens type of shutter, and showing how it is connected into a flash lamp circuit,

. Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view showing the I device modified to be detcchabiy connected to position. Instead of the plunger assembly being moved by direct manual pressure thereon, as is the usual practice in devices of this type, it is moved by a driving spring which is placed under compression by a manually operated actuating member, the plunger assembly being locked in a retracted position until the spring is placed under a given compression after which it is released l'by said manually operated actuating member.

The device is adapted to be electrically connected into a ash lamp circuit so that it serves to ignite aflash lamp and trip the shutter in prope timed relation for taking flash pictures.

The shutter release device constituting the present invention may be adapted for use with any camera having a reciprocal shutter release member movable to an f inoperative position. However, for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of the invention, I have chosen to show it in combination with a camera having a shutter and shutter release of the type disclosed in my U. S. Patent 2,203,657, issued June 6, 1940.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the camera may comprise a metal camera body, indicated generally by the numeral on the top wall 2 of which is formed a metal housing, or super structure 5, within which most of the shutter control parts are arranged.' Extending through, and slidably mounted 'relative to, the top of the housing is a shutter operating member 55 the lower end of which normally contacts a bellcrank 56 pivoted at 51. The operating member 55 may be provided with a flange C tol prevent the member l 2,308,017 e n, 'can be had by referring to my above noted patent wherein said shutter is fully disclosed. The shutter operating member 55 is tubular in form, and threaded at its upper end |00 for the reception of a cable release in which case the cable of the cable release will pass through said member to directly contact the bellcrank to release the shutter. When no cable release is used, the shutter is tripped by pressing downwardly upon the operatthe same relaported on a ange |05 o'n'the lower end of said from sliding out of the camera body and to limit the outward movement thereof. One arm of the bellcrank is connected by a rigid link 58 to a '50 horizontally movable lever 59 pivoted at 60 in the housing 5. The lever 59 is normally moved counterclockwise by the spring 62 so that the shutter operating member is normally moved to an extended position relative to the top of the by a depression of the shutter operating member 65 55, the turned down lug 63 on the lever 59 engaging the'small end 44 on the pawl 40 to effectsuch a movement of the same. jSo far as the present invention is concerned, only the described operation of the shutter operating member and bellcrank 56, which may be considered the shutter release member, is essential to an`understando' ing of the same, but if a full description of the shutter itself is desired for any reason, the same insert |02 is a skirt member |06 in which is nonrotatamy mounted an attaching nut m1` adapted to be threaded into the threaded end |00 of the shutter operating member 55 to attach the shutter release device to the camera. 'I'he attaching nut |01v can be readily screwed into the end of the operating member by gripping the knurled flange |08 on the skirt member and turning said skirt member relative to the plunger housing. -It will be readily appreciated that the shutter operating member 55 should be held against rotation to permit the attaching nut |01 to be readily screwed thereinto, and this may be done in any suitable way, as for instance, providing a key |09 on the bush I 0, fixed to the wall of the housing, and through which the member slides, engaging a key slot extending longitudinally of the shutter operating member.

'Ihe skirt member is of such a length that the lower end thereof engages the top of the housing 5 when the attaching nut |01 is fully screwed 4' into the end of the shutter operating member 55 and prevents the depression of said operating member when pressure is applied downwardly of theshutter release device, as will be hereinafter fully set forth. In other words, the skirt member prevents the shutter operating member 55 from being depressed in the normal manner to engage the bellcrank 56 and trip the shutter. The skirt may be of such a length that when the attaching nut |01 is screwed into the end of the operating member 55 said member will be slightly withdrawn from normal engagement with the bellcrank 56 until the ange C thereon engages the under side of the bush ||0, or it may be of such length as to allow the member 55 to remain in normal inoperative position where it engages the top of the bellcrank.

Slidably mounted within the plunger housing is a plunger assembly forA operating the bellcrank 56" to trip the shutter. 'I'his plunger assembly comprises a sleeve v||2 slidably engaging the'plunge'r insert |02 and within which is slidably mounted a plunger I3. Into the lower end of the plunger ||3 is threaded 'a plunger extension rod 4 which passes through bores ||5 and ||6 in the bottom of the insert |02 and through the attaching nut |01, respectively, and this rod is adapted to extend through the operating member 55 when the shutter release device is attached to the camera. It will be readily` appreciated that, the plungerl||3 and the extension rod ||4 attached thereto could be made from one piece i'f desired, but it is preferably made in two a flange I|`| which overhangs the lower end of the sleeve ||2 and by virtue of which upward movement of the plunger relative to the sleeve is limited as will be apparent from the following description.

A coiled compression spring surrounding the extension rod ||4 and located between the bottom of the insert |02 and the bottom of the flange on the plunger ||3 normally moves the plunger assembly to a retracted position, see Figs. 1 and 2, in which position the end of the extension rod forming a part thereof is spaced from the arm of the bellcrank in the camera. Slidably extending through the open upper end of the plunger housing |0| is a recessed actuating member |20 the lower end of which is flanged, as shown at 2|, to engage an inwardly extending shoulder |22 on the upper end of the housing to limit the outward movement of said member relative to the housing. 'I'he coiled compression spring |23 located between the top of the sleeve ||2 and the bottom of the recess in said actuating member |20 provides a yieldable coupling between the actuating member and the plunger assembly so that the latter is adapted to be moved to its extended position to engage the bellcrank 56 and trip the shutter by spring action rather than by positive engagement between the actuating member and the plunger assembly. The compression spring |23 in its fully expanded condition, or when the actuating member |20 is moved thereby to its uppermost position, see Fig. 1, is weaker than the retracting spring ||8 so that the plunger assembly is normally moved to its retracted position, see Fig. 1, and in which position the end of the extension rod III is raised from engagement with the bellcrank E.

The plunger assembly is adapted to bereleasably locked in its retracted position so that a manual depression of the actuating member can effect a given compression of the driving spring |23 after which the plunger assembly is adapted to be released so that the power of the spring can move it downwardly totrip the shutter. The releasable locking means for the plunger assembly comprises one or more balls |25 loosely mounted in apertures |26 extending through the wall of the sleeve I2 near its upper end to move i laterally of said sleeve. The balls |25 are slightly larger in diameter than the width of the wall yof the sleeve 2 so that a portion cf the periphery thereof is adapted to extend beyond the two faces of the wall of said sleeve when the balls are centrally located in the apertures relative to the thickness of the wall.

When the plunger assembly is moved to its retracted'position by the spring ||8 that portion of the plunger ||3 closely fitting the inside of the sleeve ||2 is adapted to engage and move the balls laterally of the sleeve and into engagement with a downwardly tapered end |21 of the insert |02. When the balls are in this position, see Figs. 1 and 2, they engage both the movable sleeve and the stationary insert and thereby serve to lock the sleeve against downward movement. The plunger when in its retracted position serves to hold the balls in a locking position relative to the sleeve and tapered end of the insert, and

during this time a depression Vof the actuating member will serve to compress the driving spring |23 since this spring rests on the top of the sleeve which is locked against movement.

'I'he upper end |20 of the plunger 3 is of smaller vdiameter than'the major portion of the plunger, and is of such a size that when' it is opposite the apertures |20 in the sleeve it permits the balls to move laterally inwardly of the sleeve and from engagement with the tapered end of the insert to releasethe sleeve and plunger assembly, see Fig. 3. Slidably mounted within the recess of the actuating member is a downwardly projecting pin |23 which is normally held against the end of the actuating member by the driving spring 23 and which is adapted to engage and depress the plunger relative to the sleeve, when depressedto compress the driving spring |23, tobring the reduced end thereof opposite the apertures in thel sleeve so that the balls .may move inwardly of the sleeve to disengage the tapered end of the insert and thereby release the plunger assembly. Looking at Fig. l, it will be noticed thatA when the plunger assembly and actuating member are each in their full retracted positions that the end of the pin |29 within the actuating member is spaced from the upper end of the plunger, 'I'his arrangement of parts is provided s o that the actuating member upon being depressed will place the driving,

spring under a given compression before the pin |23 engages the end of the plunger and serves to depress the same upon further movement to a point where the balls |25 are released from the tapered end of the insert. In Fig. 2 the actuating member is shown in the position it assumes after being depressed just far enough for the pin |29 to engage the top of the plunger without moving the same to release the locked plunger assembly.

After the actuating member |20, and the pin |29 movable therewith, has been depressed to the position shown in Fig. 2J further depression thereof will cause the plunger to be slid relative to the sleeve until the reduced portion thereof is' opposite the apertures I 2B in said sleeve whereupon the balls will move inwardly of the sleeve to disengage the tapered end of the insert and release the plunger assembly so that the driving spring |23 is i'ree to expand and move the sleeve and plunger to a shutter tripping position, see Fig. 3. When the driving spring |23 is placed under compression it exerts a downward force on the sleeve ||2 which is transmitted to the balls carried thereby, and since these balls engage a tapered surface, the instant they have a place to move to, provided by the reduced end of the plunger, they will automatically roll inwardly of the sleeve and from engagement with the tapered end of the insert. After the plunger assembly is released from its locked condition, the driving spring in expanding moves the plunger assembly to an extended position independently of the actuating member so that the Vshutter tripping action is uniform each time and is incapable of manual control whereby the disadvantage of camera jar, and an inching operation inherent in most devices of this type, is overcome.

As will be clearly apparent from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2, and 4, parts of the shutter release device are so constructed that the end of the extension rod ||4 is spaced from the bellcrank 56 when the plunger assembly and actuating member are in a fully extended position. This spacing is slightly greater than the movement of the plunger relative to the sleeve by the actuating member necessary to release the locking means for the sleeve so that the movement of the plunger and extension rod by the actuating member to release the sleeve will not end to 'of the sleeve.

movesaid bellcrank, but the tripping action will be completely accomplished by the driving spring entirely independently of direct manual pressure on the plunger assembly.

Referring to Fig. 3, when the balls are forced inwardly of the sleeve ||2 from engagemenwith the tapered end |2'| of the insert they move into engagement with a tapered shoulder |30 con.

necting the large and reduced diameters of the plunger and are held in engagement therewith due to the fact that the balls are confined in this positionby the inner wall of the'insert at all times when the sleeve is not in its fully retracted position. By virtue of this arrangement the sleeve and plunger are connected together by the balls since downward movement of the sleeve unactuating member is released to let the driving spring |23 expand to its normal condition, and will move the plunger and sleeve upwardly together until the sleeve reaches its fully retracted position whereupon the balls will be forced outwardly of the sleeve by the tapered shoulder |30 on the plunger and into engagement with the aso/8,017

lamp circuit when the same is grounded to the tapered end |2`| of lvthe insert |02 again, the

plunger continuing to move upwardly relative to the sleeve under the action of thespring IIB until the flange thereon engages the lower end l At this time the parts are again in Vthe relative position shown inFig. 1 and the device is ready for a repeat operation.

The upper end of the actuating member may be provided with a finger-piece |3| which the operator may directly press with his linger. However, in the event it is desired to operate this device by means of a well-known type of cable release, the` upper end of the actuating member may be provided with a threaded socket |32 into which a finger-piece or the end of a cable release may be interchangeably threaded,

see Fig. 5. To adapt this device for use with a 4 cable release the movable pin |29 within the actuating member is provided with a bore |33 into which the end of the cable of the cable release Y an electric circuit including a source of potential in a flash lamp circuit, one side lof said circuit being 'grounded to the metalLY camera body when the unit is mounted on the camera, the

Aother side of the circuit constituting a lead wire which may be attached to'the shutter release member to close the circuit in proper timed relation to a tripping of the camera shutter.

Inasmuch as the ashlight unit is fully disclosed in my noted copending application, and

forms `Yno part of the present invention, it need l not be shown herein. For the purpose of the present invention it will suice toy say 'that 4a flashlamp circuit including a source oi.' potential |84 and a iiash lamp '|35 has one side grounded to the metal camera body and the other side con- Vthe shutter operating mechanism are metal and are in electrical contact, the bellcrank 56 of a shutter will constitute one ,switch contactof the camera body. Y,

Referring now to Fig. 2, the ilange |04 of the plunger housing |02 may be provided with a threaded socket |31 into which a plug |38'of insulating material may be threaded. Anattaching cap |39 on the end of the lead wire |36 may -screw onto a threaded end of the plug |38 extending from the socket |31. Slida'bly mounted in a recess |40 in'the plug |38 is a contact |4| the end of which is adapted to extend through a. hole |42 in the insert |02 and into the path of the sleeve ||2 of. the plunger assembly. This contact is normally pressed into the path of the sleeve by a coll spring |43 located between a metal limiting shoulder on the contact and a metal retaining ring |44 screwed into the end of the plug |38. The endl |45 of the lead wire is provided with a contacting portion |46 which is adapted to be electrically connected to a metal insert in the retaining ring when the attaching nut |39 is screwed onto the plug |38. Thus, when the sleeve ||2 moves downwardly to its extended, or shutter tripping, position it engages the contactc|4| and electrically connects must be used. This type -of lamp has a short` lag, which the time between ignition and reaching the peak of illumination of a lamp isknown as, whichmust be accounted for, so that the parts of the device are preferably arranged whereby the sleeve engages the contact |4| a short interval before the end of the extension rod ||4 moves the bellcrank 55 far enough to trip the shutter. In the event that this timing requires the sleeve ||2 to pass over the contact the spring mounting of the contact permits such occurrence without affecting the operation of the shutter/release device.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modication of my novel shutter release which is adapted for use with shutters of the `betWeen-the-lens type and which can be detachably connected directly to theshutter casing in operative association with the shutter release member within the shutter. Shutters of this type comprise a circular casing |50 the wallv of which includes a threaded cable release socket 5| directly below which is situated the end oi' a. bellcrank |52 counter-clockwise movement of which serves to trip the shutter. The shutter release according to the modication shown in Fig.- 5 differs from the one previously described only slightly, said differences being in the relative size of certain Vparts and the insulation of the parts from one another to adapt ,the device to a two-wire ash synchronizing system, so that only the differences of the two will 'b specifically pointed out, the same reference characters referring to corresponding parts in the two modifications.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the threaded end of the attaching nut |lis made vso that it can be screwed into the universally threaded cable release socket on all shutters of the type shown. The length of the skirtmember |06 is reduced to permit the attaching nut to be threaded into the cable release socket. To adapt this device to the synchronization of a flash lamp and the release of the shutter, a two-wire system is used, or vone side of a lamp circuit including a source of potential |34 in a ash lamp |35 is electrically connected to the extension rod ||4 of the plunger assembly while the other side of the circuit is grounded to the metal shutter casing and thereby electrically connected to the bellcrank |52 in the shutter which becomes a switch contact of the circuit. Therefore, with this arrangement the instant the end of the extension rod H4 of the plunger assembly touches the bellcrank |52 the lamp circuit is closed to ignite the lamp. Flash lamps having lags substantially equal to the lag in the shutter mechanism are advised for use with a synchro- -nizer operating on this principle, such lamps being obtainable on the market and sold under the trade name of S. M. Flash Lamps.

In the device shown in Fig. 5 the skirt member |06 instead of being in direct contact with the plunger insert |02 is insulated therefrom by the insulating bushing |53. Furthermore, the attaching nut |01 is insulated from the plunger insert |02 and the plunger extension rod ||4 by disk |54 and sleeve |55 both made of insulating material. One electrical jack |56 adapted to be connected to one side of the flash lamp circuit in any suitable manner is fixed to the plunger housing |0l, and a second electrical jack |51 adapted to be connected to the other side of the lamp circuit is fixed to the skirt member |06. Inasmuch as the plunger housing is in metal contact with the plunger extension rod ||4 this rod constitutes one switch contact of the lamp circuit. Bellcrank |52 in the shutter is made the other switch Contact by virtue of the metal to metal contact between the same and the shutter casing which the skirt member |06 engages when the device is attached to the shutter, whereby the instant the extension rod strikes the bellcrank the lamp circuit is completed in proper timed relation to the tripping of the shutter. It will be noticed that when the plunger assembly of the device is in its fully retracted position the end of the plunger extension rod 4 is spaced from the bellcrank |52. This spacing between these two members is such as to prevent said rod from being moved into engagement with the bellcrank duringL the movement thereof by the actuating member necessary to release the sleeve ||2, whereby the expansion of the driving spring |23 is relied upon to complete the lamp circuit and trip the shutter. It will be readily appreciated that the'operating characteristics of this device insure the plunger assembly being smoothly moved to its full operating stroke every time at a given speed and without jarring the camera, and makes it impossible for an operator to inch the plunger assembly through its stroke and to accidentally flash the lamp without tripping the shutter, or change the predeterminedtimed relation of the two operations necessary to proper synchronization.

The actuating member of the form of the release shown in Fig. 5 may be operated manually by pressing vdirectly on they top thereof as set forth above in connection with the iirst described embodimentpf the device. For the purpose of illustration, however, I have shown a well-known type of cable release R screwed into the top of the actuating member for operating ,the plunger assembly. The cable release is screwed directly into the actuating member and would be electrically connected to the opposite side of the lamp circuit to that grounded to the shutter casing, and if the end thereof dropped into engagement with the shutter casing the lamp circuit would be short circuited. To prevent any chance of this accidental short-circuiting from happening, the end of the actuating, member |20 is provided with an insulating insert |58 into which the cable release is adapted to be screwed and the slidable pin 29 engaged by the cable of the cable release is made of an insulating material as shown.

The device in Fig. 5 is shown in its fully retracted position and is operated in the following manner to make a flash exposure. The cable of the cable release is moved by pressing on the head |59 thereof while pulling 11p on the flared grip |60 i'lxed to the cable sheathing, see Fig. 6 for showing of a head of a well-known type of cable release. This causes the movable pin |29 of the device to move toward the plunger assembly and compress the driving e spring |23. After the pin |29 is moved a distance to compress the spring a given amount the end thereof engages the reduced end |28 of the plunger ||3 and moves said plunger downwardly relative to the locked sleeve ||2 until the reduced end of the plunger comes opposite the balls carried by the sleeve ||2. Then the balls, being forced downwardly by the force of the compression spring |23 against the tapered end |21 on the insert |02, automatically move inwardly of the sleeve to engage the tapered shoulder'l30 on the plunger and release the sleeve to permit it to slide. The instant the sleeve is released the driving spring |23 is free to expand and move the sleeve downwardly, and this downward movement of the sleeve is transmitted to the plunger through the balls carried thereby engaging the tapered shoulder |30 on the plunger, whereby the driving spring |23 moves the plunger assembly through its complete stroke independently of the cable release to trip the shutter and close the lamp circuit. As soon as the driving spring |23 is allowed to expand to its normal length by releasing the pressure on the cable release, the retracting spring ||8 comes into play and returns the plunger assembly to its fully retracted position. The retracting spring I8 normally acts to move the plunger upwardly and this movement of the plunger is transmitted to the sleeve ||2 through the balls |25 untill the latter reaches its fully retracted position whereupon the tapered shoulder |30 of the plunger moves the balls laterally of the sleeve into locking engagement with the tapered end of the plunger insert, after which the plunger continues to move upwardly relative to the sleeve until the iiange ||1 on the end thereof engages the lower end of the sleeve. y

'I'he shutter release device constituting the present invention is not limited to use where the plunger extension rod ||4`` thereof directly engages the release member of the shutter mechanism. As shown in Figp,l this device can be readily adapted to be attached to the end of a cable release which in turn is directly threaded into the cable release of a shutter so that the plunger vassembly trips the shutter release through the cable release rather than engaging said shutter release directly.

As shown in Fig. 6, the device is adapted for use with a two-wire flash synchronizing system and the parts are insulated from one another in the manner set forth in the modication shown in Fig. 5. The only difference in the modification shown in Fig. 6 from that shown in Fig. 5 is that the skirt member |06 includes a tubular extension |6| the lower end of which is adapted to engage the top of the grip |60 of the cablerelease and is externally threaded to receive an attaching collar |62 overhanging the under side of a grip to attach the device to the cable release. The tubular extension is sufficiently long to permit the cable of the cable release to assume its normally retracted position, and in which position the head |59 of the cable release abuts the end of the plunger extension rod ||4, or a metal foot |63 attached thereto to provide a suitable bearing surface between the two parts. The inner wall of the tubular extension |6| is provided with an insulating sleeve |64 so that the foot |63 will not engage the tubular extension to shortcircuit a lamp circuit connected to the jacks |56 and |51. In order to ground that side of the lamp circuit connected to the skirt member to the shutter casing lthe sheathing of the cable release should be metal, and to prevent a short circuit of the lamp circuit the cable of the cable release should be insulated from the sheathing of the cable, or any metal part of the cable release in metal -to metal contact therewith, in any suitable manner not shown. When this form of device is attached to a camera shutter of the type indicated in Fig. the cable on the cable release constitutes one switch contact and the bellcrank of the shutter the other switch contact so that the lamp circuit is adapted to be completed when these two parts move into engagement with one another during the shutter tripping operation.

From the above description of the invention it will be readily appreciated that I have provided a novel shutter release device which will repeatedly operate a shutter release with a given speed and pressure and independently of direct control by the operator. Thus a device is provided which prevents an operator from tripping the shutter in a manner to injure the shutter mechanism or cause undesirable camera movement. This device is readily adapted for synchronizing the flashing of the lamp with the tripping of the shutter and the above-mentioned operating characteristics of the device are highly desirable, or imperative, to such synchronization. The device is compact and neat in appearance, and the mechanism thereof is entirely enclosed to prevent the accumulation of dirt and tampering with the mechanism by a curious operator. The size and compactness of the device can probably be best appreciated when it is pointed out that the complete device in full size is approximately the size of the end of ones little nger. The fact that the parts are so arranged that certain of them serve two or more dierent purposes lends tothe compactness and simplicity of the device. For instance, the part making up the plunger assembly not only serves to trip the shutter but also cooperates to form a releasable locking means for the plunger assembly. Also, certain parts constituting a locking means for the shutter assembly act as motion transmitting members between the plunger assembly parts when not serving in a locking capacity.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. Therefore, the present invention is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected in operative association with said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between an operative position, wherein it actuates said release member to trip the shutter, and a normal inoperative position, wherein it permits said release member to return to its cocked position, a spring for moving said plunger assembly to its operative position when under compression but normally expanded to permit the same to normally return to its inoperative position, means normally 'releasably locking said plunger assembly in its inoperative position, and including a latch member carried by a part of said plunger assembly and adapted to be moved into engagement with a fixed part on said housing by movement of the assembly to its normal position and positively held in engagement therewith by said assembly, means for placing said spring under compression and for releasing said latch member from engagement with said stationary part of said housing when said spring is compressed a given amount, whereupon said spring is free to expand and move said plunger assembly-to its operative position independently of said spring compressing means.

2. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, andcomprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected in operative association with said release member, a plunger' assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move be- -tween an operative position, wherein it actuates said release member to trip the shutter, and a normal inoperative position, wherein it permits said release member to return to its cocked position, a spring for moving said plunger assemblyto its operative position when under compression but normally expanded to permit the same to normally return to its inoperative position, means normally releasa-bly locking said plunger assembly in its inoperative position, and including a ball carried by a part 0f said plunger assembly and adapted to be moved laterally thereof into engagement with a fixed part on said housing, means for placing said spring under compression and for releasing said ball from engagement with the stationary part of said housing when said spring is compressed a given amount, whereupon said spring is free to expand `and move said plunger assembly to its operative position independently of said spring compressing means. q

3. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected in operative association with said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between an operative position, wherein it actuates said release memberto trip the shutter, and a normal inoperative position, wherein it permits said release member to return to its cocked position, a spring for moving said plunger assembly to its -operative position when under compression but normally expanded to permit th'e same to normally return to its inoperative position, means normally releasably locking said plunger assembly in its inoperative position, and including a ball carried by a part of said plunger assembly and adapted to be moved laterally thereof into engagement with a xed part of said housing tapered in the direction o1' movement of said plunger assembly when moving from its inoperative position, means for placing said spring under compression and for releasing said ball from engagement with the stationary part of said housing when said spring is compressed a given amount, whereupon said spring is free to expand and move said plunger assembly to its operative position independently of said spring compressing means.

4. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to the camera in a position adjacent said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between an operative position, wherein it actuates said release member, and an inoperativeposition, wherein it is retracted into said housing and frees said release member, said plunger assembly including a sleeve slidably mounted within said housing, a plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve and including a part adapted to extend from said housing to engage said shutter release, a releasable connection between said plunger and sleeve permitting a limited relative movement between the two prior, and subsequent, to being connected together, a spring normally acting to move said plunger to its inoperative position, a second spring engaging one end of said sleeve for moving said plunger assembly toits operative position when under compression but normally expanded to permit the same to normally return to its inoperative position under the action of said rst mentioned spring, means normally releasably locking said plunger assembly in its inoperative position, and including a latch member carried by and movable laterally of said sleeve and adapted to be moved into engagement with a stationary part on said housing, means for placing said second spring under compression and for releasing said latch' member from engagement with said stationary part of said housing when said spring is compressed a given amount, whereupon said spring is free to expand and move said plunger assembly to its operative position independently of said spring compressing means.

5. A shutter release device lfor use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to the camera in a position adjacent said release member, a plunger as.

sembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between an operative position, wherein it actuates said release member, and an inoperative position, wherein it is retracted into said housing and frees said release member, said plunger assembly including a sleeve slidably mounted within said housing, a plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve and including a part adapted to extend from said housing to engage said shutter release, a releasable connection between said plunger and sleeve, a spring normally acting `to move said plunger to its inoperative position, a second spring engaging one end of said sleeve for moving said plunger assembly to its operative position when under compression but normally expanded to permit the same to normally return to its inoperative position under the action of said first mentioned spring, means normally releasably locking said plunger assembly in its inoperative position, ad'including a ball loosely seated in a hole extending through the wall of said sleeve, said ball having a diameter greater than the thickness of the wall of said sleeve and adapted to be forced laterally of the sleeve into engagement with a tapered part fixed on said housing by movement of said plunger in said sleeve, means for placing said second spring under compression and for moving said plunger relative to said sleeve when the spring is compressed a given amount to bring a recess in said plunger opposite said ball to permit the same to move from engagement with the tapered part on said housing, whereupon the plunger assembly is free to move to its operative position due to the expansion of said second spring.

6. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to the camera in a position adjacent said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move to and from an extended position in which it is adapted to actuate said release member, said plunger assembly including a sleeve slidably mounted in said housing, a release member operating plunger slidably engaging said sleeve, resilient means normally acting to move said e yplunger assembly from said extended position, an

actuating member slidably mounted in said housing in spaced relation to said plunger assembly, a compression spring between said actuating member and said sleeve normally expanded to permit said resilient means to move 'said plunger assembly from said extended position and adapted to be placed under compression by movement of said actuating member toward said assembly, means for releasably locking said plunger assembly against movement toward said extended position, and including a latch member carried by -said sleeve and adapted to be moved into, and held in, engagement with a stationary part of said housing by said plunger, and means on said actuating member adapted to engage and move said plunger to a latch member releasing position after the same has been moved to place said spring under given compression whereupon said spring is free to expand and move said plunger assembly to its extended position independently of said actuating member.

7. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release device therefor which is electrically connected to one side of an electric current including a source of potential and a flash lamp, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to the camera in a position adjacent said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move to and from an extended position in which it is adapted to engage and actuate said release member, a spring for moving said assembly to its extended position when under compression but normally expanded to permit the same to normally move from its extended position, means normally releasably locking said plunger assembly in a retracted position, and including a latch member carried by a part of said plunger assembly and adapted to be moved into engagement with a iixed part on said housing by movement of the assembly to its normal position and positively held in engagement therewith by said assembly, means for placing said spring under' compression and for releasing said latch member from engagement with said stationary part when said spring is compressed a given amount, wherelupon said spring is free to expand and move said `nected, whereby said ash lamp isadapted to be ignited in given time in relation'to a release of said shutter.

8. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a between-the-lens type of shutter and a release therefor in combination with* an electric circuit including a source of potential and a iiash lamp, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to a camera casing over th'e cable release socket thereof with apart of said housing in electrical engagement' with said shutter casing, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move to and from an extended position in which a part thereof is l' adapted to extend through the cable release socket of said shutter casing to engage and actuate said release member, a spring for moving said assembly to its extended position when under compression but norm-ally expanded to permit the assembly to normally move from its extended position, means normally releasably locking said plunger assembly in a retracted position, and including a latch member carried by a part of said assembly and adapted to be moved into engagement with a fixed part on said housing byy movement of the assembly to its normal position and positively held in engagement therewith by said assembly, means for placing said spring under compression and for releasing said latch member from engagement with said stationary part when said spring is compressed a given amount, whereupon said spring is free to expand and move said assembly to said extended position independently of said spring compressing means, a pair of electric terminals on parts of said housing insulated from one another which are adapted to be connected to opposite sides of said electric circuit, one of said terminals electrically connected to said plunger assembly, the other electric terminal connected to the part of said housing contacting said shutter casing so as to lbe grounded through said casing to said shutter release member, whereby said ash lamp is adapted to be ignited in given timed relation to a, release of said shutter.

9. A shutter'release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therey for, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to the camera in a position adjacent said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between a shutter operating extended kposition and a retracted position, said plunger assembly including a sleeve movably mounted in said housing, a shutter release operating plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve, means normally moving said sleeve and plunger to said retracted position, a compression spring adapted to move said sleeve when under compression but normally expanded to permit the same to assume its retracted posi- 2,308,017 tion, means for placing said spring under compression, a latch member movably carried byl said sleeve and adapted to lock said Jsleeve in its removed to an extended shutter operating position I bylthe expansion of said spring. i A

10. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutterand a release member therefor, and comprising a'. housing adapted' to be detachably connected to the camera in a 'position adjacent said releasemember, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between a-shutter operating extended position and a retracted position, said plunger assembly including a sleevemovably mounted in said housing, a shutter release operating plunger slidably. `mounted in said sleeve, a retracting spring normally moving said plunger to its retracted position, a compression driving spring adapted t0 move said sleeve to its extended position when under compression but permitting the return of said sleeve to its retractedposition when normally expanded, means for positively connecting said sleeve and plunger together during the time the sleeve is moved from its full retracted position but disconnecting the two when said sleeve is in its full retracted position, means for automatically locking said sleeve in its full retracted position when-it reaches the same, means for compressing said driving spring. and releasing said sleeve locking means when said spring is compressed a given amount,l whereby 4said sleeve is moved from its extended position by said spring and moves said plunger to an extended position therewith.

1l. A shutter release device for use with a camera having a shutter and a release member therefor, and comprising a housing adapted to be detachably connected to the camera in a position adjacent said release member, a plunger assembly slidably mounted in said housing to move between a shutter operatingextended position and a retracted position, said plunger assembly including a sleeve movably mounted in said -housing, a shutter release operating plunger slidably mounted in said sleeve, a retracting spring normally moving said plunger to its retracted position, a compression driving spring adapted to move said sleeve to its extended position when under compression but permitting the return of said sleeve to its retracted position when normally expanded, a single means carried by said sleeve and adapted to positively connect said sleeve and plunger together during the time said sleeve is removed from its full retracted and adapted to releasably lock said sleeve against movement and kdisconnect the sleeve and plunger when said sleeve is in its retracted position, and a manually operated actuating member movably mounted in said housing for placing said driving spring under compression and releasing said sleeve when the spring is compressed a given amount, whereupon said spring is free to. expand and move said sleeve and along therewith the plunger to said extended position to trip the shutter.

. JOSEPH MIHALYI. 

